Charles Rutenberg Realty/Prema Parameswar

What Is a Jumbo Mortgage and When Do You Need One?
By Natalie Campisi

What Is a Jumbo Mortgage and When Do You Need One?
Share This Post Now!
(TNS)—Home prices have shot up in some areas of the U.S., to the point where buyers need jumbo loans to finance them. In mortgage-speak, jumbo refers to loans that exceed the limits set by the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that buy most home loans and package them for investors.

Jumbo mortgages, or jumbo loans, are those that exceed the dollar amount loan-servicing limits put in place by GSEs Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. This makes them non-conforming loans.

As of 2018, these limits are $453,100 in all states except for Alaska, Guam, Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where the limit is $679,650. The conforming limit is higher in counties with higher home prices, so be sure to check your area’s loan limits.

The maximum loan amount varies by lender. Borrowers can get fixed- or adjustable-rate jumbo mortgages with various term options. The mortgages can be used for primary homes, as well as for investment properties and vacation homes.

How to Qualify for a Jumbo Mortgage
Jumbo lenders usually have stricter underwriting guidelines. The main reason for this is that they’re not backed by Fannie or Freddie, so they’re riskier loans. On the flip side, lenders have more to gain since the dollar value is higher and they can offer additional services to these wealthier customers.

The three common hurdles borrowers must clear to get jumbo loan approval are larger income, higher credit scores and greater reserves, says Robert Cohan, president of Carlyle Financial in San Francisco.

“To consider a jumbo loan the FICO scores have to be higher. The average is around 740, although I have seen some as low as 660,” Cohan says.

Borrowers whose scores fall beneath the normal requirements usually have to offset it with a low debt-to-income ratio.

“If you’re high-leveraged and you have a low credit score, it’s going to be hard to get a jumbo loan,” Cohan says.

Borrowers should be prepared to show enough reserves, or assets, to cover between six and 12 months’ worth of mortgage payments. The down payment on jumbo loans is, on average, between 10 and 20 percent.

“Anything lower than a 10 percent down payment and you’re probably going to pay for it in higher rates,” Cohan says.

What Are the Benefits of a Jumbo Mortgage?
The main benefit for borrowers is that a jumbo mortgage allows them to go outside of Fannie and Freddie limitations. You can still get a competitive interest rate and finance the home of your choice without being restricted by the dollar limit on conforming mortgages.

The rates on jumbo mortgages fluctuate and may be higher or lower than the conforming mortgage rate. Recently, a 30-year jumbo rate was 4.62 percent, eight basis points lower than a conventional 30-year fixed rate of 4.71 percent.

Jumbo loans are a convenient way to finance property. Instead of getting two conforming loans to finance a home, the jumbo option eliminates that need. Some borrowers prefer to finance more of the home’s cost rather than tying up cash, making the jumbo mortgages a helpful financial tool.

5 Cities Millennials are Flocking To
Posted on Jun 9 2017 - 3:29pm by Mikkie Mills
483
There are several places in the U.S. where millennials can be found due to the high employment rates and beautiful settings. For adults who are in their 20s and 30s, there are several places where it's smart to invest. When you're looking to move, these are a few cities that millennials are flocking to throughout the country.

Salt Lake City, Utah

SLC

The high job growth in Salt Lake City makes it a desirable place for young adults to live as they look to obtain steady employment. The city is affordable to live in and has a median home price of $233,000 with job growth of 2.4 percent. Salt Lake City also has a lower unemployment rate compared to other markets throughout the U.S. with 2.9 percent, which is below the national average by a few points.

Seattle, Wash.

Seattle

Seattle is considered to be a hot spot for millennials, which make up 24.1 percent of the population. Its busy nightlife scene and generous median incomes of $67,000 make it an ideal place to live for younger generations. It also boasts a job growth rate of 10.8 percent. The beautiful views of the water and the long list of activities and attractions in the area are additional reasons that many millennials relocate to the city.

Austin, Texas

Austin

Millennials are drawn to Austin for its real estate market, which includes homes that have a median price of $226,000. The job growth is also 4.2 percent, and it's the second top city in the country for the number of jobs that are becoming available. Some of the top companies that are run out of Austin include Dell, Apple, and Google, making it known as "Silicon Hills." The average median income is also $58,932, which allows many young adults to afford to purchase their first home.

There's also a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability, making the city desirable for millennials who make green practices a priority. Austin is also known for selling more renewable energy than other nations.

Charlotte, N.C.

Charlotte

Charlotte is one of the best places to live in North Carolina with 14 percent of the population between the ages of 25 and 34. Many of the youth are post-college graduates who have relocated to the city to seek employment and purchase a home in a neighborhood that has a suburban family profile. The draw of millennials is also causing many companies to relocate their headquarters to Charlotte in hopes of hiring talented employees.

Dallas, Texas

Dallas

Dallas continues to grow each year and attract young out-of-towners due to its job growth rate of 3.9 percent and median home price of $175,000. The big city boasts plenty of shopping opportunities and attractions for those who want to stay busy without spending a lot to live close to the downtown area. The city hasn't attempted to control ride sharing, and many places are also easy to access by walking. There are also neighboring cities that are affordable to live in for those who don't mind commuting to work.

Facebook Comments